Background: Lesson 100 is finally here! In this ESL podcast we talk about happiness and how to be happy. Have a listen, learn new vocabulary for daily English conversation, and learn how to he happy.
Discussion forum
ESL Reading
Our society preaches that wealth will make us happy. However, as the world becomes richer in terms of material wealth, people are becoming more and more depressed. Happiness, not material wealth should instead be considered to be the ultimate currency. A Harvard professor discusses 4 personality types.
The rat racer - this person constantly makes sacrifices today in the quest for a better future. He consistently delays gratification because he hopes to achieve some goal. Ex. The person who spends his whole life trying to earn and save money, and then dies rich.
The hedonist - The hedonist lives for the moment. He seeks activities that will make him happy now while disregarding the potential long-term consequences of his actions. Ex. Eating junk food, Spending a lot of money, partying all the time, etc.
Nihilist - This is a person who does not enjoy the present and also expects an unhappy future. This person does activities that are not enjoyable now and also are not beneficial to his future. Ex. A person who watches TV all day, even when there is nothing interesting on, while feeling depressed and hopeless.
Happy - The happy person enjoys doing the activities in his daily life. He chooses a lifestyle that is both enjoyable in the present and beneficial in the long term.
Listening to China232.com podcasts everyday is a great way to make you happy. They are both enjoyable to listen to and beneficial to your future.
Preaches - To preach means to try to convince someone of something in an almost religious way. If someone is preaching their idea, they don’t want to hear anyone else’s opinion. They just keep talking as if they are convinced they are 100% right.
Material wealth - Material wealth means money. You could say, "he earned a lot of material wealth from his business success, but he isn’t happy because he has very little free time to spend with his family.
Ultimate currency - Currency is usually thought of as money. The US dollar and the Euro are two different types of currency. Currency is also something that has measurable value. If we say that happiness should be the ultimate currency, it means we should use how happy we are to measure how wealthy we are, instead of using money to measure wealth.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:51 am
Hi Guys,
I’m feeling proud to be the first to congratulate you on this 100th podcast.
I was waiting for your century.
best wishes!
Prinkle | India
July 25th, 2008 at 8:15 am
+1
Congratulations you guys and all listeners with the milestone lesson!!!
Love the show,
listening from Moscow, Russia
July 25th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Congratulations on the great mile stone! I’ve been enjoying since last February but never left any comments for my laziness. So I take the 100th lesson the opportunity to start participating a bit more.
Thanks for the show and keep it up, guys!
TUK
July 25th, 2008 at 10:35 am
An important and well-chosen topic for the 100th lesson.
Thank you for bringing us closer to the English language!
Carsten, Germany
July 27th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
thank you for your brilliant work!!
no.100! ! great.
lei m ,shanghai,china
July 27th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I really liked the lesson. I learned something big from it.
Its like hitting two birds with one stone. I can learn English by listening to the podcast at the same time knowing what’s important in one’s life. “Money can’t buy hapiness”.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:08 am
thanks heaps for uploading these. you guys are brilliant!
July 29th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Hi friends,
Congratulations on your great and always fun podcasts! I have been listening to them for about 6 months, and I always look forward to the next one! I really enjoy them, and every morning on my way to work, I listen to you on my Ipod.
Keep up the excellent and high-quality job you\’re doing. Believe me: this is my favorite way of learning English.
Your friend in El Salvador, Central America.
July 30th, 2008 at 4:04 am
Everyday we are all to get happy from nice things like your new podcast listening and cheer yourself to start newday. so….. you are a happy person due to your today effort for promise of success in future, and further you are being worked and have been experience also give sharing or geting love from other…..
Thank you for your great work!
listener from Vietnam
July 31st, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Hi guys!
Thanks for your great job! Your show is the most friendly and funny I’ve ever listen to. I haven’t been listen to the latest podcasts yet, but I’m full of admiration for all your work.
You are probably have a binge on the occasion of 100th podcast :))
Have a nice fun!
Chernivtsy, Ukraine
July 31st, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I’m not used to comment here! But I want you know that I’ve been learning a lot and having funny because of your job.
Congratulations!!
God bless you, guys!!
bye
José Antonio
Brasil
August 5th, 2008 at 8:57 am
You are doing a wonderfull job keep it up.
August 6th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Rat racers that, made me laugh… never heard that expression. I´m learning so, my english is terrible. Totally an hedonist myself.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Congratulations on 100 posting!
I am thinking of what kind of types I am belonging to ..hmm..
I wanna be happy of course!
however, I know..my nature..I am racing as a rat! haha~
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:00 am
i have a nihilistic behaviour.please can sb help+advice me??
February 13th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
this site is the best of all i visited because since i have discovered it i have learned many many words .
CONGRATULATIONS.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Thank you for the interesting conversation !
March 5th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
great episode! i love it!
April 7th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Really funny and useful podcasts!! Thank you for doing them..
June 4th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Hi Add and Andy . It was a brilliant topic about the types of people . I think that we have to live happily in this life . thank yuors so much about it .